Richard Bejtlich's blog on digital security, strategic thought, and military history.

Thursday, August 21, 2003

Blaster Strikes Railroad Company

Striking a little closer to home, CSX, operator of "the largest rail network in the eastern United States," reported "significant slowdowns early today after a computer virus infected the network." I ride the Virginia Railway Express to the Foundstone DC office, but I didn't take it yesterday. According to the CSX press release:

"The infection resulted in a slowdown of major applications, including dispatching and signal systems. As a result, passenger and freight train traffic was halted immediately, including the morning commuter train service in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area. Contrary to initial reports, the signal system for train operations was not the source of the problem. Rather, the virus disrupted the CSXT telecommunications network upon which certain systems rely, including signal, dispatching and other operating systems."

Wonderful. Who in management will be fired because of these incidents? Probably no one.